Steroidal compounds and methods for obtaining the same



Patented Oct. 8, 1946 UNITED STA'lE STEROIDAL COMPOUNDS AND METHODS FOR OBTAINING THE SAME Romeo B. Wagner, State College, Pa., assignor to Parke, Davis & Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan No Drawing. Application May 15, 1944, Serial No. 535,759

7 Claims.

The invention relates to new carbon ring saturated steroidal sapogenin compounds having hydroxyl groups and/or groups hydrolyzable to hydroxyl at positions 2 and 3 of the steroid nucleus and also one of these same groups or a ketone group at position 12 of the steroid nucleus.

It is known that steroidal compounds, that is, compounds containing a 10,13-dimethyl cyclopentanopolyhydrophenanthrene nucleus, are present in plant tissues such as Beth root (Tril- Zium erectum), Digitalis purpurea, etc. However, the number of known plant sourcesof such steroidal compounds is relatively quite limited and the types of steroidal compounds which have thus far been found in practical quantities in plant tissues are also quite limited in number.'

Only one steroidal compound has been known which occurs in plant tissue and which at the same time has an oxygen atom attached to the C12 carbon atom of the steroidal nucleus. That compound is digoxigenin having a hydroxyl group (OH) attached to the C12 carbon atom and being a compound of the cardioactive type having no practical value as an intermediate for sex hormone type products. Although digoxigenin is a steroidal compound, it is not a sapogenin and its side chain attached to ring D of the steroid nucleus is of a distinctly different type from the sapogenin type side chain present in the new enins of my invention. 7

I have now discovered that certain plants and products derived therefrom can be treated by physical and chemical methods in order to obtain new valuable Ola-substituted steroidal sapogenins.

The new compounds of the invention have the general formula,

I 2 Y where Y1 and Y2 are the same members of the class consisting of and groups hydrolyzable to and Y3 is a member of the class consisting of :0,

and groups hydrolyzable to I These compounds are new valuable starting materials for the preparation of physiologically active substances such as sex hormones and the like. They are especially valuable for the preparation of physiologically active steroidal compounds of thetype derived from the mammalian suprarenal cortex which have an oxygen contain ing group in ring C of the cyclopentanopolyhy' drophenanthrene nucleus.- I

In order to get a sapogenin fraction from plants, for use in obtaining the new compounds of the invention, I use one of the methods described in the following general procedure.

GENERAL PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING A SAPOGENIN FRACTION In obtaining the new compounds, the plant or part of the same which is to be extracted is cut up, ground or shredded and then extracted either with hot water or a lower aliphatic. alcohol such as ethyl alcohol.

The plant may bedried before extraction, but I prefer to extract the plant without any preliminary drying. I also prefer to use an alcohol solvent such as ethanol or about hot aqueous ethanol. For example, if one has about 25 kilograms of undried and cut up parts of the plants,

such as stems, soft roots, leaves or fruit, these can be covered over with about 32 liters of 95% ethanol and heated under a reflux condenser at moderate steam bath temperature for about 12 hours. The hot extract can then be strained through cheese cloth, the filter cake Washed with two 7-liter portions of hot ethanol and then squeezed dry. The extract and wash alcohol can be evaporated to a syrup and the syrup concentrated by passing a current of air over its surface. When using hot water as the extracting agent, the evaporation takes place much more slowly.

After evaporation, the concentrate containing saponins .andelikeccombinationsmf. thensteroidall. sapogeninsz; must" be& hydrolyzed in ordenztoc liberate the ,sapogenins. This is best accomplished by aqueous or alcoholic strong mineral.. acid. For example, the above mentioned concentrate from 25 kg. of plant'materiaLcanw-bes hydrolyzed by refluxing it for 2 hours with -3 liters of 2N ethanolic hydrochloric acid. The reaction. mixture is cooled and filtered..- Ifany -considneable tar is present at this stage, it can be ground and digested several times with an equal volume of hot alcohol. The combined alcoholic-filtrates are diluted with 20 liters of diethyl ether andthv solution washed successively with watery. 5%. sodium hydroxide and water and evaporated. Fatty .esters.in the residue .thus obtained can be hydrolyzed by refiuxingthe residue with 3vol-l umes of alcoholic potash for 30minutes. The cooled mixture from the alkaline hydrolysis is extracted with ether and the ethereal solution washed with water and then evaporated to give a sapogenin fraction whichaaissdissolved i aace-e tone, treated with active. charcoal such a the product known as Noritef and filtered. The clarified filtered acetone: solution contains the sapogenin fraction of the plant and can be separated from the acetone by evaporating the latter. Such sapogenin fractions-consist of mixturesof sapogenins. The individual sapogenins are next isolated or separated out of this fraction.

The above description :isra: eneral procedure: which I use for obtaining a sapogenin fraction or mixture. It is merely illustrative and is capable of considerabler. variation, as will be understood. by those skilled in the art. Any known method of obtaining asapogenin fraction by hydrolytic and solvent extraction procedures maybe used, provided solvents 'areusedtwhich: make' possible the separation'and isolation from the-plant; tissue of tliegreater part .zotjth'e h'y: droxyl I and; ketone substituted 1 steroidal; sapoe genius. liberated by theh'ydrolyticlsteps.

Example 1.- (Man'ogeninfrom Agave H u'achizcensis Baker) 8 kilograms (8 kg.) of: entire .plants of this speciesare collected imseptembereast of Tucson; Arizona. The .sapogenin .fractionntthese plants is first obtained bythengeneral procedure described above. It is then taken up in and crystallized fromacetone. The product has amelting point (M: P.) of 234-236 C." and weighs 10.6 grams. It "is "recrystallizedfrom' ether and then gives the" dihydroxy'ketone 'manogenin" of M. P. 241 to 243 0.

A solutlonof manogenin'in-ethanolis treated with; a 2 solution of digitonir'r in ethan'olg' Immediately: a heavy white? precipitate or the digitonide of inanogeninisidrmedi I A sample of manogenin is boiled with acetic anhydride, excess anhydride distilled oil and the residue crystallized from methanol. It consists of manogenin diacetate and has M. P. 253-255 C.

AnaL: Calcd for C31H4aO-1t C, 70.2; H, 8.7. Found: C, 70.2; H, 8.6.

Example 2.(Mea:ogenin from .S'amuela camerosana (TreZ.))

272 kgs. of the caudex from young plant of the species Samuela carnerosana Trel. were collected during the month of March along the Rio Grande River at Black Gap in the Big Bend reg-ioncoiqIexas. The alcoholic concentrate from the alcoholic extraction of -the 272 kgssin accordance with the general procedure given abov is dissolved in 192 liters of ethanol and hydrolyzed with. .43. liters ..of.. concentrated hydrochloric acid forr3iliours... The reaction mixture is then extrated with 160 liters of butyl alcohol. The butanol extract is: washed several times with water'and themwitl i 10% caustic solution. The butanol'layer is wvashed free of alkali with water and. evaporatediin vacuo. The solid residue is powdered and thoroughly extracted with 160 liters of acetone. The acetone extract is then evaporated.

One half of the residue from evaporation of I the racetone nextract is-"hydrolyzed .witlrzanrexcess ofalcoholicipotashior 30 minutes: Thereaction'a mixture is 'COOlEdi to1359C. and extracted:with-40=iliters 1 of: ether: and: the 1; ether .extr act separated, washed with: water andsevaporated: 'Ihe resid11e from the evaporati'on' is sepa-rated into; an acetone-soluble fraction (fraction H, see crystallization" chart) and" an acetone-insoluble fraction;-

B; The -B'fractionweighs-148 grams and is further crystallized -from"ether 'to givean ethersolubl fraction; D, and "an eth'ereinsoluble frac-. tion; C,weig' l 1ing 46grams.;.

The ether-.insolubleir'action.(C) is 'acetylated.

(e.; g.- v with. .acetioanhydride) and thenzcrystallized from methanol andfinall .from ether.- The crystals have-M; and mixed. Mr. P. with samogeniniacetate 0f:;195fi198o C; Yield: is-;3.0. Hydrolysis... of: this diacetates. gives' grams: samogenin;- M.=.P: and-mixed M. P;;.208-214"- C.

AnalJCalcfd forCi-zHdOi: C;-.75.0; H,"'10.'3.'

Found 2' 'CI 74.8 f 12310.25

Tile -properties of-'samogenir'r and its"diacetate are described in-J. Amer: Chem. Soc. vol. pages '1199 to1209..(I943).'.

The. sapo enins in..the ethere-solublesfraction... D; areacetylated ..and-.treated .'.with. 40 grams: of. Girardfs ireagentsT- in 1 .liter oi ethanol dew scribed for A. HuachucensisfBaker underqExample 4. The ketonefraction, E,- is crystallized from ether-.pentane;rM;.P. .195-'2005 CI, and weighs 34 grams: This material: is recrystallized .from

cc." of ether-to give a 'small' ether insoluble frac-' tion, M. P. and mixed M. P. with kammogenin' The Girards non-ketone fraction, G, is fractionally crystallized from methanol to give an additional 7 grams of samogenin diacetate, M. P. and mixed M. P., 195-198 0. j

The acetone-soluble fraction, H, from the above steps is concentrated.cooled. 'and filtered to give a dark semi-solid mass. This mass is hydrolyzed with excess 20% alcoholic potash for 30 minutes. The product from methanol, 'P. .172-180 C., is acetylated and treated with Girards reagent as 10 described previously. In this case, however, no ketone fraction is obtained. The non-ketone fraction is crystallized from acetone, M. P. and mixed M. P. with smilagenin acetate, 148-150 C., yield being 30 grams.

Anal: Calcd for C29H46O41 C, 75.9; H, 10.1. Found: C, 75.9; H, 10.2.

Hydrolysis of the acetate gives smilagenin, M. P. and mixed M. P., 184-186 C.

Anal: Calcd for C27H44O32 C, 77.8; H, 10.7. Found: C, 77.8; H, 10.7.

M emogem'n The above described mexogenin diacetate can be hydrolyzed, e. g. with excess 20% alcoholic potash, and the hydrolyzed product extracted and crystallized from ether to give mexogenin of M. P. 245-246 C.

Anal: Calcd for 0271-14205! C, 72.6; H, 9.5. Found: C, 72.9; H, 9.6.

Boiling acetic anhydride converts it back into its diacetate of M. P. 208 C. Mexogenin is isomeric with manogenin. It is saturated to bromine-acetic acid solution. When added to a 2% alcoholic solution of digitonin, it forms an insoluble saponide very slowly.

Although mexogenin forms a monosemicarbazone, it is not afiected by the conditions, of a mild Clemmensen reduction reaction, thereby indicating the inert position of the carbonyl group. In this respect, it is like the other l2-ketosteroidal sapogenins. Wolfi-Kishner reduction removes the carbonyl group, giving samog enin. The reduction product when converted .to its diacetate, is identical with samogenin diacetate. Hence, the relationship of mexogenin to samogenin is thereby further established. The transformation to samogenin can be illustrated as follows.

Wolff-Kishner reduction Mexogenin Samogenin 6 the March collection (272 kg.) of Samueldcarnerosana-Trel: :i

A. Crystallization from acetone; B. Crystallization from methanol and then ether; C. Acetylation. Crystallization from methanol and then ether; D. Evaporation. Acetylation. Treatment with Girards reagent T; E. Crystallization of ketone fraction from ether; F. Dilution of ether mother liquor with pentane. Slow evaporation and crystallization; G. Crystallization of non ketone fraction from methanol; H. Evaporation. Hydrolysis. Crystallization from methanol. Acetylation. Treatment with Girards reagent T. (No ketone fraction obtained.) Crystallization ofnon-ketonefraction from acetone.

Example 3.-Synthesis of agavogem'n from'mdnogem'n (a) By catalytic hydrogenation: An ethereal solution'of 0.3 g. of manogenin containing several drops of acetic acid is shaken with hydrogen and Adams catalyst for three hours at room temperature and three atms. Agavogenin is crystal-' lized from aqueous methanol, M. P.233240.' A mixture with the starting material (240) gives amelting point elevation, 242-247.

Anal: Calcd for 0271-14405: C, 72.3; Found: C, 72.2; H, 9.9. I

The triacetate is prepared by refluxing a solution of the triol in acetic anhydride for one hour. The solvent is removed and the residue is crystallized from methanol as plates, M. P. 226-228? C Anal: Calcd for CssHsoOsZ C, 69.0; H, 8.8. Found: C, 68.5; H, 8.7. I

(b) By sodium-ethanol reduction: To a solution of one gram of mano nin diacetate in 300 cc. of absolute ethanol is added 23 g. of sodium over a period of thirty minutes. 'After the sodium has reacted the reaction mixture is diluted with water and ether extracted. The ethereal solution is washed free of alkali with 10% m drochloric acid and evaporated. Agavogenin crystallizes from ether as White needles, M. P. 238-2402 yield, 0.25 g. A mixture with material from (a) melts 240. I

Anal: Calcd'for C27H44O5I C, 72.3; H. 9.9. Found: C, 72.0; H, 9.8.

The triacetate is prepared by refluxing with acetic anhydride for one hour. It is crystallized from methanol as plates, M. P. and mixed M. P. triacetate from (a) 226-228".

Anal: Calcd for CasHaoOe'Z C, 69.0; H, 8.8. Found: 0, 68.5; H, as. s

In addition to the above described properties of agavogenin, it also is converted by mild (e. g. 25 C.) chromic anhydride oxidation to hecogenic acid. The latter oxidation product is identical with the hecogenic acid from mild oxidation by CrOs of manogenin. Hence, agavogenin is 12- dihydro-manogenin. These changes can be '11- lustrated as follows.

The examples given are for the purpose of illustrating the invention and can be varied in a good many Ways. For instance, acetic anhydride is used as the acylating agent for the alcoholic hydroxyl groups of the new compounds. However, one may use any of the known organic agentsfor converting alcoholic OH to an ester or ether or other group capable of hydrolysis to give OH. -Such agents are, for example, organic acid halides, acetyl chloride, benzoyl chlo-- ride, furoyl chloride, butyric anhydride, formation of the alkali metal alcoholate followed by reaction with an alkyl halide to form an ether, use 01' triphenyl, methyl chloride to form the socalled trityl ethers, halides such as sulfuryl chloride, phosphorus chlorides and the like.

Ring dihydroxy compounds, such as manogenin and mexogenin, or ring trihydroxy compounds such as agavogenin can be completely aoylated or etherified at all of their ring hydroxyls. Completely esterified or acylated agavoenin can be partially hydrolyzed at the number 2 and number 3 carbon atoms of the ring system to obtain derivatives partially esterified or etherifiedat Cm but with free hydroxyls at C2 and Cs. Similar derivatives can be made by using alkali metal and alcohol, or hydrogen in presence of a platinum catalyst, to reduce the C12- keto of completely esterified or etherifled manogenin or mexogenin to get the corresponding compound with a free hydroxyl group at 012. When hydrogen and a catalyst are used for reduction, thegroups at C2 and C3 are not. hydrolyzed and the C12 hydroxyl alone can then be esterified or etherified to replace it by the same or by a different ester or ether group from that at carbon atoms 2 and 3. Thus, it isv easy for those skilled-in the art to prepare any of the new compounds of the invention having the general formula,

7 Q-H"C,Hl

UHF-CH:

x= YFL/ .Az v z n where Y1 and Yz-arethe same members of the classconsisting of and groups hydrolyzable to and Ya, is a member of the class consistingof =0,

and groups hydrolyzable to 03 H What I clalmis:

1. A ring saturated fizz-substituted steroidal sapogenin or the fromula where Y1 and Y: are the same-members of the class consisting of and'ester groups hydrolyzable to 2. A ring saturated Cm-substituted steroidal sapogenin of the formula where Y1 and Y2 are the same members of the class consisting of H and ester groups hydrolyzable to and Y3 1s a member of the class and ester groups hydrolyzable tL 3. A ring saturated Cur-substituted steroidal where Y1 and Y2 are the same members of the class consisting of 10 and ester groups hydrolyzable to 4. A 2,3 dihydroxy 12 keto ring saturated steroidal sapogenin of formula C21H4205.

5. Manogenin of the formula, (7271-14205, the structure of which is O CH; CHr-CH: CH3 1 CE! CHO\ H-OH! U l O c. no

6. Mexogenin of the formula, C2'zH420s, the structure of which is CH; CHI-CH2 on o ' I cH-cm 7. Agavogenin of the formula, 0211-14405, the structure of which is ROMEO B. WAGNER. 

